Kisses
by Octovan
Summary: It was a forbidden action for them, but then again they were always known to break rules.


**This was a contest piece that I wrote last year. I found it again today in my writing files. Note that I did write this in about 15 minutes, so if things feel rushed or there are some awkward, OOC points please remember this. :) I hope you enjoy while I finish the third chapter to "Lions and Lambs".**

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Monsters rarely kissed. It was something simply looked down upon. Kissing was a symbol for love and affection, which were two factors that could make a ghoul's stomach queasy.

Kissing was happiness. Monsters were denied that privilege. From birth to the grave, the only form they could know was the dark, twisted sense of pleasure gained from the fear of fleshie pray. Such pleasure could never be added in Christmas follies, which was why monsters never celebrated- there was no need to praise a day of niceness; it was like asking a vampire to feast on a garlic pizza. It simply cannot be done.

Kissing meant appreciation and admiration for another. Such compliments could never be shown to a witch or a lich. The underworld only functioned on negative praises- on ugliness and the fright factor, or a certain scare tactic is used or expressing fondness of a vile, horrid and often terrifying aspect of the scarer was accepted. The weak and light hearted would be stepped down by Kibosh's hand.

Kissing was love. Monsters could love. But monsters couldn't love the way humans could. They weren't allowed to give positive virtues or influence their offspring to be nice to other monster children like humans can, nor can they give romantic dinners with flowers and chocolates. They couldn't express soft warm feelings to desired mates through poetry and sugary professions like humans, as weakness and friendliness would show, but monsters could love.

Kissing was warmth, and cool bliss.

Dash and Alder hated that it symbolized them.

Alder may not be as smart or as cruel as his brother, but he was cold. He knew how to break a fleshie's heart, or to freeze them in place with a quick façade and a threatening pose. He knew the darkness that enveloped his world, but could only see past the chilled mist that escaped his breath. He commanded the cold- loved the way it could shatter even the toughest barriers and bring down the mightiest of beasts to their knees in shivering, terrified states. He loved making it snow, feeling the frost on his brows and the small icicles under his nose. How his eyes turned ice blue when in the magical mood, muscles quivering with excitement. But he loved the snow; loved it's soft beautiful nature, delivering peace and joy to the world around it. It was strange to see the world calm and turn childish at the sight of snow. He knew that no matter how cruel and cold he could be, Alder's soft side was the snow, falling from the sky in soft showers. If his heart were his own, it would be frozen, yet still with potential to thaw.

Dash begged to differ. Fiery orange eyes were as hot as the flames of hell, his temper hard to relent. Seeing farther past Alder's mist, Dash knew that fire was superior. He could melt his brother's ice and sweep his fury across those who dared try and challenge him. There was no better place for him than the heat- ice was easier to control- fire was all powerful. Once started, little hope could challenge the roaring flames, and only a fool can try to tame it. Dash loved it- loved how what little of his locks were left crackled and burst into flames behind his ears, delivering a clear message of his power. More powerful than his brother in the aspects of knowledge and might, he could tame the mountains and burn villages, but unlike his brother, Dash's heart was burned and black-it would take far more than what the warmth that love could deliver to make the fires of his heart purr. Broken by lies and hate from the one higher power that rejected him, Dash was hell to pay…but even he couldn't control the love of fire that the world had. Those that bowed to his power and cared for the warmth with such respect and compassion smoldered the flames.

They both knew that as hard as they try, neither power could prevail over goodwill to men, and peace on earth. No amount of heat waves and eruptions, nor the cold fronts and storms could break the spirit of man. Kibosh had lied- there was no balance between monster and man, for man possessed what monsters lacked- how can fear and threats smolder the fact that love and hope can crush it? Darkness cannot prevail over one without completely destroying the light; no creature should denied the ability to love and laugh and be happy and true. Fire warmed the bones and ice fanned the illness and sweat of fear away. No side can live without the other.

Which was why on December 25th at 12:01 in the morning, Alder broke the barrier. It was a cold winter morning; a fresh blanket of snow lay on the ground. All the fleshies were dreaming of sugarplums and holly in their dreams, keeping warm in their beds. After much debate, he managed to get his brother to agree in visiting the human world. The house was warm- they stood by a young boy's bed. They knew who he was. Sandy blonde hair, baby blue eyes, clutching a picture frame of himself and his best monster friend…

Dash was regarding him with a furled brow. Alder kept the silence, looking at his brother with hope- luckily, Dash held himself back on his impulses. Leaning over the child's bed, they observed the picture gently. A churning sensation in their stomach came as they locked gazes with the ghost, smiling as can be.

"Go on." Alder softly urged his brother on. He could forgive Casper for what he made the Headmasters go through- it was the season of peace and giving. But Dash could hold a grudge better than any monster he knew. The redhead kept watching the boy, reluctant to be thoughtful in Alder's plan. But the ice on the side of his neck was irritating his skin and temper, so Dash removed the small gift from his robe pocket. Giving his brother a nasty glare, he swiftly removed the picture from Jimmy's hands, and replaced it with Casper's journal. The ghost boy had been intended on giving it to his friend, but couldn't due to the fact that he wasn't allowed to leave for the holidays.

Alder smiled, placing the picture quietly on the boy's nightstand. Dash was still silent, face softening slightly as he watched the small, pink hands clasp the book and bring it closer to the slumbering child's chest. A few seconds passed before they came closer, tucking the boy and patting him on the head.

"See?" Alder mused when they were back outside. Dash shrugged both their shoulders, but Alder nudged him with his snout.

Knowing his little other was expecting an answer, Dash relented. "What?" It wasn't the response Alder was expecting, but there was no denying the quicker pace of their heart. "You enjoyed it.""I didn't. Humans disgust me to no end." Dash crossed their arms. Alder rolled his eyes and looked out at the town.

"It's pretty."

A small huff came from his brother's end.

They sat together in silence, under the old oak tree for awhile longer. The night sky was opening up past the cloud, and shooting stars were shooting through the sky. The time passed. Some strange reason fell on them both to remain, despite whatever was said. A few hours later, Alder heard what he was waiting for.

"It's beautiful." They were listening to carolers out in the snow. Although there was no nearby clocks to read off of, it was estimated to be about 5 in the morning. Alder blinked his tired eyes, before listening to his brother- there was a tone of entrancement in Dash's voice. Alder knew it was the singers, chorusing "Carol of the Bells" on the street corner.

"Yes, it is.""So this is what Christmas is like?""I guess so." Alder smiled. "What do you think it is?"

It wasn't sarcasm or a test of wit- they never had the full chance to understand why this season of the year affected humans the most. Dash took some time to think, before responding.

"I feel warmth. Not anything like I ever felt before…" He broke off, looking down at his brother. "I feel…light."

"I feel that too." Alder replied, before stretching their back. "I guess there is something about this day that just makes….everything feel right. And it's only morning still."

"I don't fully understand it….but I can feel something." Dash got up, slithering down to the street corner and hiding behind another tree. There they watched the carolers continue their journey through the snow. Birds were chirping, and the sun was coming up over the hills. As it rose over the houses and reflected off the snow, the sky was a beautiful pink. It was the most beautiful thing they ever saw.

"_Joy to the world!_

_The lord has come!_

_Let Earth receive her king!"_

Their ears perked, listening to the new song.

"Is that it?" Alder questioned. "Here, the fleshies love this ruler."

Dash was silent for a brief second. "Back in our world, we all fear and despise Kibosh…"

They listened for a longer time, hearing the messages in the songs that the carolers played. With each passing carol, that heart, burned by rejection and hate and cold from hopelessness, began to thaw. This day was so much more than what was expected. Alder and Dash never knew they could feel so…tingly inside. Not again, anyway.

"Jimmy." Alder said. They slithered back to the child's house, watching him from the window. The boy was awake now, ecstatic with his new present. He was prancing around the room, reading the pages and laughing.

The headmasters were silent.

Pulling away, Alder looked to his brother, not knowing what to say.

"So…we actually did something good…." Dash managed to say, hand over his heart- it was racing wildly.

They sat there beneath the window for the longest time, before warping back to their office. It was dark and gloomy inside. For the first time in millennia, they were disgusted at the sight of spiders and gargoyles. Closing the windows to hide from the depressing view, they looked at one another. Alder was smiling, biting his lip. Dash arched a brow.

Before he could say anything, he could feel his brother's lips on his own- they were cold and icy, generating wisps of steam from contact with his own heated pair. The kiss lasted only a second, before Dash realized that Alder was holding a sprig of mistletoe. Blinking, Dash licked his lips, and smiled.

He always wondered why kisses were described to be attached with fireworks and bells. You could never see or hear them- you just felt them, firing off inside your body. Dash could feel the fireworks. Alder heard the bells. The kiss was no longer considered forbidden in their eyes- no longer classified as a sign of weakness or whatever Kibosh wanted them to believe. For the first time, it became universal; a beacon of a treasure long forgotten and despised. A power described in few words, mixed with image and meaning that can thaw hearts and bring the good out in the worst. A symbol for this day, and a ray of light for the days to come.

Love. Happiness. Appreciation.

Peace on earth, and goodwill to all.


End file.
